The 10 Temple Walking Tours in Tokyo That Earn Their Price

1.Asakusa Walking Tour with Sensoji Temple Visit

★★★★★★★★★★4.8 · 1,583 reviews · 2 hours · from $22Our pick

Meet your English-speaking guide at Kaminarimon for a two-hour walk through Asakusa. You’ll see Sensoji Temple, Asakusa Shrine, Nakamise Street, Hoppy Street, and Shin-Nakamise. Guides such as Aya, Keiko, Hiroko, and Loc add history, customs, food tips, and local context. The route finishes by Azuma Bridge.

“Terrific tour. Interesting to hear the history and to see the sights. Guide’s English was very good, and delivered with humor. Highly recommend.”

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2.Meiji Shrine Walking Tour — Shinto & Imperial System

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 266 reviews · 90 - 135 minutes · from $23

Join an English-speaking guide such as Keiko, Yuuka, Yuki, or Ayaka for a 90 to 135 minute walk from Harajuku Station through Meiji Shrine’s forest. You’ll learn Shinto etiquette, see the giant torii and sake barrels, explore the shrine, and finish with tea or snacks at Mori no Terrace.

“The tour was outstanding. Tomo was such an interesting, informed and friendly guide and we loved the whole experience. Highly recommend him and this tour.”

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3.Meiji Jingu Shrine and Shinto Culture Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 245 reviews · 2 hours · from $19Best reviewed

Spend two hours at Meiji Jingu with guides such as Maya, Yota, Ryota, or Andres, learning how to pray at a Shinto shrine, read its symbols, and understand the link between nature and faith. You’ll visit the Imperial Garden, giant torii, sake and wine barrels, and shrine buildings in a small, conversational group.

“Rio was the guide and he was super informative and friendly. Full of energy and a good attitude. Tour was great!”

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4.Meiji Shrine and Shinto Culture Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 225 reviews · from $18

Join a small group of up to 15 people for a two-hour walk through Meiji Jingu with a guide such as Yumi, Sara, Haydn, or Benjamin. You’ll learn how to bow at the torii, cleanse before worship, read shrine symbols, and understand Emperor Meiji’s role in modern Japan. Admission and a mobile ticket are included.

“We had a great walking tour of the Meiji Shrine through the forest with Sara, our guide. She was very friendly and knowledgable and explained the important facets of the Shinto religion and customs. We had been on other tours, but hRead more”

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5.Meiji Shrine Walking Tour — Shintoism & Imperial System

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 209 reviews · from $21

Meet your local guide at Harajuku Station for a 90-minute small-group walk through Meiji Shrine. You’ll pass a huge Taiwan cypress torii, learn Shinto customs, visit the main shrine, explore the imperial garden, and browse charms at the nearby shop. Guides include Yuuki, Nana, Keiko, Nonoka, and Nanami.

“Lovely walk around Meiji jingu learning about the historic significance and traditions of the area. Guide Yuuki was friendly as well as support member Nono”

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6.Asakusa Temple & Shrine Walking Tour with Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 105 reviews · 2 hours · from $30

Walk Asakusa with a guide such as Nicolas, Erik, Nana, or Lino, depending on the day. In two hours, you’ll see Sensoji, Asakusa Shrine, smaller sacred sites, Nakamise Street, and city views from Azuma Bridge and the Asakusa Culture Tourist Information Center. Expect practical help with Japanese rituals, photos, shopping, and questions.

“We had an amazing experience on our Asakusa walking tour! 🍀 We were lucky to be the only participants, so it felt like a private tour. Our guide, Lino, was absolutely wonderful — friendly, confident, and spoke perfect English. Even though she’s still very young, she did a fantastic job guiding us through the Senso-ji Temple and the surrounding area. Her explanations were clear, interesting, and easy to follow, and she made the whole experience feel personal and relaxed. It honestly felt more like exploring with a local friend than being on a typical guided tour. Thank you so much, Lino, for making this one of our highlights in Tokyo!”

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7.Asakusa & Tokyo’s Oldest Temple Senso-ji Walking Tour

★★★★★★★★★★4.6 · 21 reviews · 2 hours · from $11Cheapest good one

Meet at Kaminarimon Police Station and follow an English-speaking guide through Nakamise Street, Senso-ji, and Asakusa’s older lanes. You’ll hear temple legends, Edo-era stories, and local culture in a small group of up to 10. Guides include Lax and Shoma. The $11 price makes this a useful, low-cost introduction to eastern Tokyo.

“It was one of the best tour we’ve ever had !! Our guide lax was fantastic and friendly”

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8.Meiji Shrine Walking Tour with Local Guide

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 9 reviews · from $20

Walk through Meiji Shrine’s peaceful forest with a local English-speaking guide. Learn the customs of bowing, cleansing, and praying, then visit the Imperial Fishing Platform and lesser-known spots near the main hall. The tour finishes by Harajuku Station, making it easy to continue your Tokyo day.

“We learned about the history of Meiji Jingu, the custom of bowing when passing through the torii gate, and that the central part of the approach is where the gods walk, so visitors should walk on the left side. The guide explained the highlights of the torii and the approach to the shrine, and my interest in Meiji Jingu Shrine grew. The artificially created space of the approach creates a sacred space, and it's really wonderful, and there's no doubt that your heart will be cleansed. The guide showed us the back of the main hall and explained the turtle stone and the sazare stone. I thought that if I…”

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9.Gotokuji Culture Walk & Lucky Cat Temple Experience

★★★★★★★★★★4.9 · 5 reviews · 1h 30m · from $47

Meet your English-speaking guide outside the 7-Eleven at Gotokuji Station, then walk to the temple associated with maneki neko, Japan’s lucky beckoning cats. You’ll have time for photos, a 25-minute guided visit, an incense experience, and a cat-shaped sweet. The group is capped at four people, making this a calm, focused 90-minute outing.

“wonderful tour with both our guides! we loved all of it and the information was amazing. would definitely recommend this one to any traveler to tokyo area.”

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10.Asakusa Walking Tour -Sumida River to Senso-ji Temple

★★★★★★★★★★5.0 · 4 reviews · 1h 30m · from $42

Walk from the Sumida River to Senso-ji Temple with an English-speaking guide and a group capped at 10 people. You’ll pass through Asakusa streets, see Kaminarimon Gate, browse Nakamise Shopping Street, learn about the temple and shrine, and receive a fortune prediction. Guides such as Miho, Haruka, and Mikio have led past tours, though the assigned guide may vary.

“Le tour était en anglais/japonais mais tout était très facile à comprendre. Pas besoin de japonais dans tous les cas. C'était vraiment intéressant de découvrir de nouvelles choses concernant un endroit extrêmement prisé de Tokyo. J'ai beaucoup aimé ! Je recommande énormement aux français !”

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